Concrete building-block.



PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

G. L. PEABODY. OONGRETB BUILDING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1904.

UNTTEn STATES Patented February 21, 1 905.

PATENT @FFTQE.

GEORGE L. PEABODY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONCRETE BUILDING-BLOCK.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,305, dated February 21, 1905.

A pli ation filed Mmh a1, 1904. Serial No. 200,893.

To a w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE L. PnABoDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete Building- Blocks,-of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing a fireplace structure embodying my improved flue-block. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view showing the flue-block in vertical section and a superimposed deflecting flue-block. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the flue-block. perspective view of the flue-block.

My invention refers to improvements in concrete building-blocks; and it consists of a block especially designed for incorporation with a wall structure and a fireplace-opening therein, so as to provide an area-block for the ire-opening having a flue of approximately the full width thereof diminishing in area upwardly toward the top.

The object in view has been to provide a flue-block which will dispense with the necessity of brickwork and is adapted to facilitate combustion and draft, providing an opening of approximately the full width of the fireopening, which narrows upwardly at both sides, terminating in an opening at the upper side of the block of the usual or normal size of the flue and adapted to correspond and communicate with the flue-opening of superimposed blocks forming the upper side wall structure. These upper blocks may be provided with vertical flues, as shown in Fig. 1, or with laterally and upwardly deflected flueopenings, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the flue may be carried around to one side or the other of an upper fireplace in alinement or of any other intervening structural element which it is designed to pass around. Heretofore blocks of this character have been provided with vertical flues of the same conducting area above and below and, the flue-opening has been located either in the middle or to one side of the block, so that with either arrangement the draft from the flre is unequal, thereby inter- Fig.4is

fering with proper combustion. Ordinarily these objections may be, and in practice are, .overcome by building a tapering flue above the fire-opening of brickwork, reducing the opening to the normal size of the flue, so as to register with the next adjacent course of the ordinary flue-block. My invention entirely overcomes these difliculties and objections and provides in a single piece afl ue-block adapted to present at the lower side a maximum opening of the proper width and at the upper side of the minimum area with smooth unobstructed tapering inner faces.

Referring now to the drawings,2 represents my improved block, which is of any suitable size and dimensions to combine with the other building-blocks of the structure and adapted to rest, if desired, upon pierblocks 4, as shown in Fig. 1, or merely upon the inner ends of the blocks 3, as desired. The block 2 is provided with a vertically-dis- I posed transverse opening 5, as clearly shown, the length of which opening at the bottom is considerably greater than at the top, the inner end walls 6 6 tapering upwardly and inwardly, so as to provide the reduced upper opening already described. The front and back walls77 are preferably vertical, although they may also taper, if desired. Lifting-shoulders 8 8 are also preferably formed in the inner ends 6, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the block may be engaged by any suitable lifting device in the interior, as will be readily understood, thereby preventing the necessity of grappling the block on the outside. After the block 2 has been placed in position above the fire-opening the flue proper is then formed by the blocks 9, having'straight vertical flue-openings 10, or by one or more blocks 11, having deflected flue-openings 12. With either design the flueopening 10 or 12 makes a communication with the top of opening 5 in block 2. By this construction the products of combustion willbe drawn equally from each side of the fire without any interference or unequal draft, resulting in perfect combustion.

A further advantage of my invention is that it provides a compact symmetrical construction very easily incorporated with the usual wall structure, having the equal advantage of being readily laid in place without the necessity of any unusual or special skill. By its use the necessity of brickwork in reducing the chimney-opening, as is usual, is entirely obviated, thus simplifying construction and reducing cost, while also obviating the necessity of any exposed vertical joints whatever.

The advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by all users of this class of material. It may be made in varying sizes to suit varying conditions and may be changed or varied in other respects by the skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. A concrete flue-block provided with an interior flue of the approximate length of a fireplace-opening at the bottom and having inner end walls converging to the normal size GEORGE L. PEABODY.

Witnesses:

JAMES MOO. MILLER, O. M. CLARKE. 

